Led by leader Rob Thorne, traditional ‘80s power metalists Sacred Oath have kept quite busy since reuniting in 2005; through 4 releases arguably raising their profile higher than it ever was in the ‘80s. Although stalwart drummer Kenny Evans has stayed the course with Thorne all along, FALLEN marks the first full reunion with new music from the classic Sacred Oath lineup that recorded the landmark A CRYSTAL VISION album. We all know that reunions are often used as a gimmick for a band’s flagging fortunes, but given that Sacred Oath have been on a roll with cool albums like 2009’s self-titled effort, one could easily wonder why Thorne & Evans are bothering to mess with a winning team. Then again, when an album is as highly regarded as A CRYSTAL VISION, a reunion of that lineup is definitely something to get excited about.

At their best, the band’s Maiden-esque melodies have always contrasted most tastily with their North American crunch riffs. Although the sound has gotten bigger & fuller over the years, this formula is still what drives that band today. Within that, Thorne and co. have never been afraid to mix it up a little bit. This fact is driven home instantly with album opener “King Of Your World” which features fast, almost rapped vocals from Thorne over top of the catchiest metal riffs on the album. To be sure, it’s interesting and it shows that a renewed sense of vigor is in the band because of the reunion. From there, Sacred Oath runs the gamut of their sound from the short, fast burners (“Get Your Wings”, “Death Knell”) to the longer, more epic pieces with twists and turns (“The Way of All Flesh”, “Dream Death”). There are some bumps in the road as songs like “Snake Eyes” or “Misery Loves Company” don’t stick in the memory banks and are quickly forgotten, but all told, it’s a feast of classic ‘80s-style metal.

FALLEN is another high-quality release from Sacred Oath, and one that shows the band have lost none of their vitality and writing skills, despite not working together in this incarnation for years. If you’re a fan of the band, then FALLEN is a must have. If you’re not yet familiar with Sacred Oath, then it’s about time you got off your ass and checked out this venerable band.

Track Listing

1) King Of Your World
2) The Way of All Flesh
3) Get Your Wings
4) Dream Death
5) Misery Loves Company
6) Snake Eyes
7) Lurking Fear
8) Aradia
9) Death Knell
10) Fallen